Story 164: "Human Credentials" by Scarlet Baldy

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

Recently, while reading Human Credentials for the first time, I had such a strong desire to discuss it that I knew immediately I was going to post it here at some point. Then, while going through our recs page, I was pleased to find it had already been recced quite some time ago by tiger_bay.

Human Credentials picks up after FTF, in an AU season 6, when a mysterious lead prompts Mulder, Scully, and Diana to set out on an adventure that will challenge their humanity and take them to the ends of the earth, possibly in more ways than one. The fact that this fic is over 400K tends to suggest it's a story with a fair amount going on. That's an understatement. There's not a lot that isn't going on in Human Credentials. It incorporates the mytharc in a way that makes a powerful and surprising amount of sense, and it makes excellent use of nearly every major secondary character from the show, as well as bringing in at least one intriguing original character. On top of that, it has the kind of dark, controversial Mulder and Scully characterizations that are sure to spark discussion. And there's a fair amount of hot sex too.


Human Credentials


A Few Specifications and Caveats:

Regarding Diana Fowley: Her role is mainly in the first third of the fic, so if you aren't a fan of her character and you just can't see yourself making it through 400K of her presence, don't write this fic off! Human Credentials does give Diana her due, but it's still very much Mulder and Scully's show.

Regarding the sequel: There is one, and it's called Lendemains. It's an unfinished WIP, and it was written about a decade after Human Credentials. You may discuss it in the comments if you want to, but the 'official' rec is Human Credentials only. It's just easier that way.

Regarding our schedule: Because this fic is so long, we might spend more time on it than usual. If discussion is still going on after seven or eight days, or if people start posting saying they fully intend to comment but they need a little more time, then wendelah1 and I will hold off on posting a new fic for a few more days.

Regarding the content warnings: Heed them. Characters do some very troubling things in this fic. Things that will make excellent points for discussion, I think, but I don't want anyone getting blindsided.

Comments

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

So you can either believe that this Mulder is indeed capable of losing it like this and fuck her partner until she bleeds - which makes him a rather mentally unstable character indeed, and one hell of a callous, selfish bastard, especially considering how quickly he accepts Scully's forgiveness later on. OR you can pay attention and consider what you know about this Mulder in this world.

But it's nonsensical - in life or in fiction - to start from a perspective of saying, "Mulder would never do this thing that he did. There must be an alternative explanation." You start with the facts and work from there. Fact: Mulder did X to Scully. Okay, why did Mulder do X to Scully?

If "Oilien Braintweak" was in any way insinuated by the story as something that might effect Mulder, then it would be one thing. But simply having Oilien brain waves exist is not enough, especially since Marita makes it sound like only a "lucky few" are affected by the oil. I'm not saying I want the story to give me the answer(s). I'm saying that if it doesn't even give me the clues then there's nothing to get.

If, for example, Scully were to ask Ali while she was being rehabilitated, about the possibility of Mulder having been affected in some way, and he were to say something along the lines of (quoting author): "The oilien may not have been able to mindfuck him like they did Scully, but they may still have been able to tweak things just a little. Especially if their 'vessel' was in close proximity to the person they wished to control," then it would be a potential explanation that was acknowledged by the fic, and I could factor it in.

I'm not saying that Scully can't say "Mulder would never do this thing that he did. There must be an alternative explanation," - just that it doesn't make any sense for the reader to do so without some kind of prompting. Hell, Scully adamantly insisting there has to be some unknown explanation would, in itself, be a decent prompt.

[badforthefish.livejournal.com]

I'm saying that if it doesn't even give me the clues then there's nothing to get.

Point taken. Then I guess you just have to accept that this Mulder simply lost his shit in a big way.

And honestly I don't think Scully was in any shape to ask about Mulder when she was with Ali, but yeah, Scully could have pondered about it, and gave the readers at least a hint this way.

I don't have a definite answer to this anyway, I know I didn't *plan* to have Mulder's anger being caused by the oil. I wrote the scene and then afterwards thought: "well, he could have lost it because he fucked up, or because of the oil." I guess I never gave any hints because it would have been too easy a way out for this Mulder if I had. *laugh* I wrote this a long time ago, you know?